A new dedicated rail freight shuttle has been launched in Sweden, creating a faster and more integrated link between Helsingborg and the Port of Gothenburg — a development likely to interest UK freight operators and logistics providers watching Scandinavian capacity growth.
APM Terminals, which operates the Port of Gothenburg’s container terminal, has introduced the new service in partnership with rail logistics provider Dania Connect. The shuttle connects Helsingborg, in southern Sweden, with the country’s largest port in just five hours, offering exporters and importers a quicker and more reliable inland-sea logistics chain.
Mathias Weismann Poulsen, Chief Commercial Officer at APM Terminals Nordic, said the initiative is already attracting strong interest:
The Port of Gothenburg remains Scandinavia’s largest freight hub, with almost 30 domestic locations linked to the port by rail. In 2025, rail throughput reached a record 529,000 TEU — a figure the new shuttle is expected to support further.
Claes Sundmark, Vice President Sales & Marketing at the Port of Gothenburg, said the improved connectivity represents “a boost for the Helsingborg region’s business community in reaching global markets,” adding that the service strengthens the port’s overall offer to international cargo owners.
The shuttle began operating in February with a single weekly departure, with APM Terminals planning to increase the frequency to three per week as demand builds.
Relevance to the UK rail sector
- UK ports and freight operators continue to explore similar inland rail shuttles to reduce road dependency and decarbonise supply chains.
- Northern European developments often act as leading indicators for innovations in rail‑port integration.
- Operators including DB Cargo UK, Freightliner, and GBRf may view this model as a benchmark for expanding port‑centric freight capacity.
Image credit: Port of Gothenburg
